5 Tips to Help Make Your Dream Barn into a Reality This Year

A new year means it’s time for New Year’s resolutions – and what better resolution is there than to finally bring your dream barn to life? If you’re ready to build the stable, farm, or equestrian property of your dreams, these five tips can help you along the way.

Make a Wish List

Before you start, sit down and get all of your ideas on paper. Make sketches, lists of features you want – anything that can keep your thoughts organized. If you have photos of barns that you like, include those too. All of this information can help with the planning process.

It’s also a great idea to visit some other facilities, if you haven’t done so already. Ask other barn owners what they like about their barns, and what they would change if they could. Take notes, and think about how to apply this advice to your property.

Think About the Future

As you plan your barn, it’s natural to plan for the horses and lifestyle you have right now – but it’s just as important to think about what the future may bring, too. If you might increase the number of horses you own, then it’s a good idea to build a larger barn, even if that means having a few empty stalls for now. If you’re building a business, then make sure that the property you purchase and the facilities you build offer you room to expand as your business grows.

Buy the Right Property

Location is so important when you’re building a barn, and if you’ve yet to purchase your property, then you’ll have some big decisions to make. You’ll need a property that is large enough to accommodate all of your plans (and maybe leave room for future renovations and expansion), without being too overwhelming to maintain. Don’t forget the importance of the topography of the land, too. Dense forests will require time and money to clear. Slopes will need to be graded, and significant slopes could result in water runoff issues. Plus, the property needs to be zoned to allow the number of horses that you intend to keep.

It’s also important to think about the location in terms of the resources available to you. Are there plenty of vets and farriers for you to choose from? If you’re running a business, is the area one where your clientele are found?

Find the Right Partners

For your project to be a success, you should surround yourself with professionals who have experience working with equine properties. Your team may consist of a real estate agent, an architect, and a contractor; all of these professionals can help to guide you through various stages of the project.

At Equine Facility Design, we specialize in planning, design, and project management for equine-related projects. Whether you’re building a barn, a farm with multiple buildings, or are renovating or adding onto a home, we can help. Matt Johnson, owner of Equine Facility Design, has over 19 years of professional experience and is skilled at incorporating health and safety design aspects into the development process.

Create Your Budget

It can be difficult for you to create a detailed budget on your own, and that’s where your project partners come in. Work closely with them to create a budget for each phase of the project, and be sure that the total figure is one that you can afford. There are bound to be unexpected expenses, so you’ll want to have some extra funding ready just in case.

Is 2019 the year that you will build your dream barn? Equine Facility Design can help. Please contact us – we’d love to hear about your project and help you get started.

Contact Us Today!

Equine Facility Design is a professional design firm specializing in planning, design, and project management for sites and structures used by the horse community including private equestrian stables, horse barns, horse farms, horse training facilities and more.

Through our work in equestrian planning and design, we work with a wide variety of manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, other professionals. We are also involved with associations and organizations that support the horse community.